Clothesline-prop



C. E. DAVIS. I CLOTH'ESLINE PROP. APPLICATION FILED APR.3.'1920.

Patented Aug. 10, 1920.

INVENTOR.

7.4 7'TA/E s s.

rarest QFFICE.

CHARLES E. DAVIS, 0F BATTLE CREEK, LEICHIGAN.

CLOTHESLINE-PROR Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented An": 10, 1920.

Application filed April 3, 1920. Serial No. 871,042.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. Davis, a citizen of the United States, residing at Battle Creek, in the county of Calhoun and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothesline-Props, of whichthe following descrip tion and appended claims, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, form a specification.

My invention relates to clothesline props in which a staff or pole having a retaining clasp at its end is employed for engaging and retaining a clothesline in suitable and proper manner between its anchorages.

clothesline props ordinarily constructed will support a line whilerthe prop is normally at right angles to the line either in a sloping or vertical position, butowing to their contactwith the line easily slip or sway on the line when the latter is filled with clothes, either from the weight of the loaded line or from wind currents or both, permitting the prop to tilt and the line to sag, oftentimes subjecting the clothes to contamination by contact with the ground, and possibly entanglement of the clothes on the line-holding device.

My invention has among other objects a provision whereby the device may be readily attached or disconnected from a clothesline without inconvenience; whereby the line fastening will not slip or slide on the line and permit the prop to sway or tilt other than with the line itself and permit the clothes to sag; whereby the same will be simple, durable, economical and thoroughly effective for the purpose. The aforesaid objects and advantages, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, will be readily comprehended by an ordinary artisan.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side view of a portion of a clothesline prop or pole with a clothesline-holding device attached according to my invention, said clothesline being in position to enter said line-holding device. 7 K

Fig. 2 is a front view of the same with a clothesline fully engaged. therewith.

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the same with a clothesline fully engaged therein, a portion of the pole being broken away to show the method of securing the shank of the clothesline-holding head.

Like marks of reference refer to corre sponding parts throughout the different views, in which A represents a clothesline prop or pole of wood or equivalent material, the same being of sufficient length to properly elevate a clothesline B when in operative engagement therewith. The head of the pole has. a ferrule l to insure the same from splitting and to more securely hold the shank 2 of the improved clasp head C when mounted in its seat within said pole. The head C is preferably of wire of sufficient hardness and elasticity to cause its looped portions to give and take in the manner of a spring. i

As shown, the shank 2 is twisted and pointed and forms a screw capable of being readily inserted within a suitably formed hole in the end of the prop A. Forked sides 3 diverge outwardly and upwardly from the twisted shank 2 in parallel. arrangement, the upper ends of said sides curving rearwardly, thence downwardly and angularly toward the twisted shank 2 forming side loops 4:, the latter of which at their lower portions curve forwardly between the forked sides 3, thence bend upwardly toward a plane of said sides, thence diverge outwardly and unite in a curve 5 forming a looped clasp or tongue between the curve of which and the front of the forked sides 3 aforesaid a clasp is formed, between which the clothesline B is engaged.

In operation, to secure a clothesline to the head C the pole A is elevated so that the line will be brought between the curve 5 and the upper looped ends of the forked sides 3, as in Fig. 1. and the line either pulled between said tongue and the front sides of said forl or else forced between said tongue and forked sides by thrusting said pole to cause said line to be likewise engaged,-the

line when thus gripped being prevented from passing downward and out of its clasp by the lower curved ends of the side loops 4.

As will be obvious, a line clasped in the manner set forth will prevent the prop head slipping thereon and letting the prop sway and clothes sag and become soiled by con tact with the ground, etc. The prop can be easily attached and as readily detached from a line, and there being no sharp or protruding points to the clasp head, tearing or other injury to clothing or fabrics of kind will be wholly eliminated.

The foregoing description is a general em- 7 bodiment of my improvement, but I am aware that minor details in the bending of the loops comprising the prop head could be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or affecting the scope of its usefulness, and I reserve the right to employ such minor changes in the form and construction as are compatible with the intent of my invention.

Having, therefore, set forth my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a deviceiof the class set forth, the combination with a pole or prop, of a clothesline-holding device comprising a shank seated in said pole and having oppositely disposed diverging side portions extending upwardly in substantially parallel arrangement, said side portions swerving rearwardly, thence downwardly and forwardly between said side portions, thence upwardly forwardly of said side portions and forming loops, the upper ends of said Vloops meeting in a curve diverging outwardlyt from a'plane of said side portions at or near the top of said loops and formr pole, said loop being bent rearwardly upon" itself, thence downwardly and forwardly between its upright twisted end portions, thence upwardly in close proximity to the front side of said upright portions, thence curved outwardly near its extremity and forming a tongue between which and said upright portions a clothes or other line may be engaged, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth. 7

I CHARLES E. DAVIS.

Vitnesses I 'CHARL-Es M. STEPHENS, ERNEST R. HAMILTON. 

